Unlike the previous operating system, Windows 7, Microsoft officially announced that Windows 8 will not be bundled with the standard software: Media Center. This means that users of Windows 8 will not be able to play DVDs without buying additional software.
In Microsoft's official blog about Windows 8, a team of Microsoft said that globally, DVD sales have dropped significantly from year to year. On the other hand, the team said, Microsoft needs to pay significant royalties to be able to play DVDs.
That's why Microsoft chose to separate the software for playback of traditional media, optical media (DVDs) and broadcast television. The software will be optimized for the Windows team 8 is an online multimedia.
Metro-style applications Windows 8 will be supported by the decoder to play Youtube videos, video Netflix, Amazon video / audio, H.264 web browsing / streaming, Hulu Video, MP4 video, AVCHD video from a camcorder, ultraviolet video, and HTML 5. Applications at Metro Style will also consist of additional decoder like FLAC, MKV, OGG, and others.
Windows Media Player will be available in all of the Windows 8, but without the features of DVD playback.
This decision seemed to support the Ultrabook and trends on tablet devices that disable the optical drive.
If the user wants to continue to have Windows Media Center to play DVDs, it must purchase additional software as in the following diagram:
For users of Windows 8 Pro, can purchase an additional Windows Media Center Pack 8 for an upgrade. As for users of Windows 8, can purchase an additional Windows 8 Pro Pack.
The second additional software has the same function, namely to make the user has a media center, which includes the ability to play DVDs, recorded TV broadcasts (play file format DBV-T / S, ISDB-S / T, DMBH, and ATSC), as well as VOB file playback.
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